Raitas, or raytas, are India’s version of a salsa or salad that are served as cooling counterpoints to hot and spicy Indian foods. They are yogurt based and contain vegetables that are either raw or cooked, and low fat or whole yogurt. If using whole fat yogurt thin with a little water to produce a smooth texture. Because of the coolness of the yogurt, they are served during hot weather only. Serve with crudities or pieces of Indian bread called naan as an exotic appetizer.

The Moghlai dishes, popular across India, but particularly in Delhi and the neighboring Uttar Pradesh, owe their ancestry to sixteenth and seventeenth century Moghul rulers, Akbar and Shehjehan, who were connoisseurs of music, literature, architecture, and food. Unlike their immediate ancestors, who invaded India, and who were too busy consolidating their empire to pay much attention to cuisine, Akbar and Shehjehan recruited the best chefs in northern India, and encouraged them to create dishes that carried the influence of the ingredients of central Asia and India. Note: This recipe requires advance preparation.

This rich, spicy-sweet chicken dish from northwestern India has distinct Moghul influences. "Dilruba" means "sweetheart." The Moghuls controlled most of India from 1526 until 1839, leaving behind some of India's most famous architecture, including the Taj Mahal. The Moghul emperors loved to eat, and twenty-course meals were common in the royal courts. Not surprisingly, Moghul rule had a greater influence on Punjabi cuisine that that of any other conqueror.

My youngest daughter recently visited Tibet and Nepal. She came back with this recipe that I’ve modified a bit. Traditionally, Sukuti is prepared with a dried meat, almost like a jerky. This recipe could also be prepared with beef or buffalo although beef is never eaten in Nepal. This recipe requires advanced preparation to allow the meat to marinate.

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Indonesia grows goats rather than sheep, yet "mutton' was the meat of choice in the wet market of Little India in Singapore, so I can only assume that this delicious, curry-like soup can be made from either lamb or goat meat. The recipe is courtesy of Mrs. Devagi Shanmugam of the Thomson Cooking Studio. Find more recipes and read about Dave DeWitt's Singapore trip in the article Singapore Fling By Dave De Witt